Oil-burner



R. HOFFMAN.

on BURNER.

7 APPLICATION HiED JAN. 5, 1919. 1,343,672. Patented June 15, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH HOFFMAN, OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'lO SEARS, ROEBUCK AND 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK,

OIL-BURNER.

citizen of the United States, residing at Kankakee, in the county of Kankakee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Burners, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to oil heaters, and more particularly to burners therefor of the type comprising a tubular wick mounted for vertical movement between inner and outer wick tubes and supporting a head or flame spreader, the latter being guided for vertical movement with the wlck by a central guide-bar; and the primary ob ect of the invention is to provide simplified means for limiting the upward movement of the flame spreader and thereby of the wick.

This object is attained, in the present instance, by=means of a ball-and-slot connection between the flame spreader and, through its guide bar, the inner wick tube, the ball being supported-inthe spreader so as to normally lie in a slot in the guide bar but so that it may be readily moved out of its slot, thus permitting the detachment of the spreader.

- but showing the spreader held against further upward movement by its connection with the guide bar. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. "Fig. 4:: is a fragmentary detail View of the bottom plate of the housing for supporting the locking ball. Fig. 5 is a similarview showing the spreader supporting member provided with a round opening for the guide bar. Fig. 6 is a similar view in which said spreader supporting member is shown as having a slot for guiding the spreader.

Referring to the drawings, 7 and 8 are respectively the inner and outer wick tubes of a burner, between which tubes a wick 9 is mounted for vertical movement by a suitable and well-known means (not shown).

10 indicates generally the flame spreader Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 15, 1919.

Patented June 15, 1920.

Serial No. 271,197.

guided for vertical movement uponthe wick 9 by aflat bar 11 fixed with reference to the wick tubes and having a slot .12 in its upper end in which a ball 13 is normally supported by the spreader.

The wick tubes 7 and 8 are spaced apart in the .usual way to providea channel for the wick 9; and the spreader 10 may comprise a supporting member 141, perforated drum 15 and cover plate 16. The bottom of said supporting member is in the form of an open plate or spider 117 having a central opening for the guide bar, while the lower end of the drum isopen so that air is permitted topass through the spider upwardly into the drum. At its upper end the supporting member has an annular .wick flange 18.

The guide barll is fixed with reference to the inner wick tube 7, centrally thereof, bymeans of a pair of perforated plates 19 and :20 spaced a short distance apart and suitably secured to the tube7. Herein said plates are flexed toward each other at their centers and their peripheries are entered in grooves formed by pairs of annular beads 21. The lower end of the guide bar is entered through central slots provided in said ,plates, and is preferably .shoulderedas at 11" so as to be firmly held against vertical movement relative to the tube 7 in either direction.

The upper end of the bar 11, which is provided with the slot 12, passes through a central opening 22 in the cover plate 16 and thence into a housing formed by a slotted plate 23 and a small dome 24. Both the dome and the plate 23 are carried by the cover plate 16 ofthe drum 15. lower edge the dome is made of a diameter slightly greater than the opening 22 in the cover plate and is secured to the latter by means of a plurality of tongues 25 which are entered through slots in the cover plate near the edge of the opening 22 and clenched upon the under side of the cover plate. In order to secure the slotted plate 23 in position overthe opening 22, the lower edge of the housing is bent to form with the cover plate at the edge of the opening a groove in which the peripheral edge of the plate 23 may slide. By this construction it will be evident that the slotted plate 23 may be held stationary by the guide bar 11 extend- At its ing therethrough, while the drum 15 is retated with the wick 9 by the action of the wick raising and lowering means, as well known in the art. To permit such rotation of the spreader, the central opening in the spreader supporting member is made round, as shown at 1'7 (Fig. 5), but if it is desired to prevent rotation of the spreader, the opening may be in the form of a slot,as shown at 17* (Fig. 6).

The ball 13 is normally caused to lie in its slot 12 in the guide bar by reason of a central depression in the slotted plate 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and said slot 12 1s made of the proper length to permit of the upward movement of the wick 9 to the desired extent, the parts being so proportioned and arranged that when the wick is in its lowermost position (Fig. 1), the ball rests' in the central depression of the plate 23 and at the lower end of the slot 12, and when the-wick is at the upper limit of its movement, the ballengages with the upper end of the slot 12 '(Fig. 2). lVhen it is desired to detach the flame spreader from its position upon the wick 9, the ball'13 is rolled out of its depression in the plate 23, and

- hence out of the slot in the bar to one side of the housing, thereby releasing the connection between the spreader and the guide bar to permit the withdrawal of the spreader. hen the spreader is again placed upon the wick with the upper end of thebar-ll entered through the slotted plate 23, the ball 13 quickly rolls to the center of said plate, by reason of the depression therein,

and thus enters the centrally disposed slot 12 in the bar.

' To facilitate the operation. of dislodging the ball from its position in the slot 12, the dome 24 may be provided on opposite sides with upright slots 26 of slightly less width than the diameter of the ball 13, to permit the insertion of a pointed instrument, such as a tooth pick, for manipulating the ball.

It will be evident that I have provided means for limiting the upward movement of the wick of an oil burner, which is of a very practical character. The construction is very simple as is also the operation of releasing or locking the spreader relative to the wick holder. Furthermore, the parts are of such character as to be practically 'unaffected by the heat from the burner and are not likely to become disarranged or lost.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an oil burner, a wick, means for guiding the wick including a tube, a flame spreader carried by the wick and having a cover plate, a guide bar for said spreader mounted centrally or" said tube and having a slot in its upper end, a housing on said cover plate including a platehaving a slot therein through which the upper end of said guide bar extends, said plate having a central depression therein, and a ball supported by said plate in the depression thereof so as to normally lie in said slot in the guide bar.

2., in an oil burner, a wick, means for guiding the wick including a tube, a flame spreader carried by the wick, a guide bar for said spreader mounted centrally of said tube and having a slot therein, a locking ball, and a slotted plate carried by said spreader and through which said guide bar extends, said plate having a central depression therein arranged to normally support the ball in said slot in the bar.

3. In an oil burner, a pair of concentric tubes having a wick therebetween, a flame spreader carried by the wick, a pair of plates fixed within the innermost tube, an upright bar fixed in said plates and extending upwardly in the tubes and through the flame spreader, said bar having a slot therein, and a ball normally supported by said spreader in said slot to permit of a movement of the spreader relative to the wick tubes but limiting the extent oi upward movement of the spreader.

l. In an oil burner, a wick, means for guiding the wick including a tube, a flame spreader carried by the wick, a guide bar for said spreader mounted centrally of said tube and having a slot therein, a locking ball,

and a slotted plate carried by said spreader V cover plate, a circular plate having its peripheral edge entered in said groove and having a slot therein in which said guide bar is arranged to slide, and a ball supported on said circular plate, said plate having a depression therein for causing the ball to normally lie in said slot in the guide bar.

6. In an oil burner, a flame spreader, a stationary guide bar for said spreader having,

a slot therein, said spreader having a plate with an opening therein, a ball supported upon said plate so as to normally lie in the slot in the guide bar, and means surrounding the guide bar for retaining the ball.

7. In an oil burner, a flame spreader, a stationary guide bar for said spreader having a slot'in its upper end, and a locking ball, said spreader having a housing formed thereon into which the upper end of said guide bar extends and providing a support for said locking ball so as to cause'it to normallylie in said slot in the guide bar whereby to limit the upward movement of the flame spreader.

8. In an oil burner, a flame spreader, a stationary guide bar for said spreader having a slot in its upper end, and a locking ball, said spreader having a housing formed thereon into which the upper end of said guide bar extends and constructed to provide a support for said locking ball so as to cause it to normally lie in said slot in the guide bar whereby to limit the upward movement of the flame spreader, said housing having an opening therein smaller than the diameter of the ball to permit of the insertion of an instrument into the housin 9. In an oil burner, a wick tube, a flame spreader, a part fixed to said tube and having a releasable connection with said spreader adapted to permit of a limited vertical movement of the spreader, said connection comprising a slot in said part and a member operable vertically in the slot and movable into and out of the slot.

10. In an oil burner, a -WlCk tube, a flame spreader, an upright bar for guiding said spreader, and a pair of plates fixed in said tube at spaced intervals and having central openings therein for receiving said guide bar, said plates being flexed toward each other and said bar having shoulders engaging with the plates upon their adjacent sides.

11. In an oil burner, a pair of concentric tubes having a wick therebetween, a flame spreader carried by the wick, an upright guide bar, a pair of plates for supporting said guide bar, said plates being mounted in the innermost tube spaced apart and flexed in opposite directions, and a connection between said spreader and said guide bar adapted in the normal position of the spreader to limit the upward movement thereof.

12. In an oil burner, a flame spreader, a wick tube having two internal annular grooves therein spaced apart, a pair of plates having their peripheral edges entered in said groove and being flexed in opposite directions, and a guide bar fixed at its lower ends in said plates and extending upwardly through said spreader.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

RUDOLPH HOFFMAN. 

